Investor Education and Protection Fund

(1) The Central Government shall establish a Fund to be called the Investor Education and Protection Fund (herein referred to as the Fund).

(2) There shall be credited to the Fund—

Provided that no such amount referred to in clauses (h) to (j) shall form part of the Fund unless such amount has remained unclaimed and unpaid for a period of seven years from the date it became due for payment.

(3) The Fund shall be utilised for—

in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed:

Provided that the person whose amounts referred to in clauses (a) to (d) of sub-section (2) of transferred to Investor Education and Protection Fund, after the expiry of the period of seven years as per provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), shall be entitled to get refund out of the fund in respect of such claims in accordance with rules made under this section.

Explanation.—The disgorged amount refers to the amount received through disgorgement or disposal of securities.

(4) Any person claiming to be entitled to the amount referred in sub-section (2) may apply to the authority constituted under sub-section (5) for the payment of the money claimed.

(5) The Central Government shall constitute, by notification, an authority for administration of the Fund consisting of a chairperson and such other members, not exceeding seven and a chief executive officer, as the Central Government may appoint.

(6) The manner of administration of the Fund, appointment of chairperson, members and chief executive officer, holding of meetings of the authority shall be in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed.

(7) The Central Government may provide to the authority such offices, officers, employees and other resources in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed.

(8) The authority shall administer the Fund and maintain separate accounts and other relevant records in relation to the Fund in such form as may be prescribed after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.

(9) It shall be competent for the authority constituted under sub-section (5) to spend money out of the Fund for carrying out the objects specified in sub-section (3).

(10) The accounts of the Fund shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor- General of India at such intervals as may be specified by him and such audited accounts together with the audit report thereon shall be forwarded annually by the authority to the Central Government.

(11) The authority shall prepare in such form and at such time for each financial year as may be prescribed its annual report giving a full account of its activities during the financial year and forward a copy thereof to the Central Government and the Central Government shall cause the annual report and the audit report given by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India to be laid before each House of Parliament.